Airdorn
Member
OH MY GOD
I was reading some stuff on here, and a few other websites and got all fired-up about grounding/bonding everything. I went to the hardware store and bought an 8 foot copper ground rod. I think it's 1/2 in diameter, or there 'bouts.
So I got this LONG fairly heavy rod and I gotta get it into the ground.....
OK, maybe I'm just a sissy, or else I have extra hard ground... or maybe a little of both.. ..But it took me 45 mins. the first day to bang that thing down about 4ft using a tiny 3lb sledge... then I hit something I couldn't pass.
The next day, it took me about 2 hours GETTING IT BACK OUT OF THE GROUND using a shovel, a sharpshooter, a drill with a long bit to "loosen up" the dirt, and a lot of elbow grease and cussing. I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell now for what I said. (sorry grandma)
After another hour or so, I managed to get the damn thing beat down about 7.5 ft. into the ground using a 10lb sledge... I was sweating like a pig.. the horrors!
I thought it would be easy, but damn that was a workout!
I noticed that the first 3ft. was very easy.. I could have used a simple carpenter's hammer for that.. but below 3ft. I ran into a "trash" layer.. probably refuse from the construction of my house, including broken brick pieces, misc stones, etc.
Beyond that, the ground got VERY resistant to my efforts. I would say I was in clay. That stuff just wouldn't 'give' like the top fill dirt would.. about 6 inches into that, and the rod was very difficult to drive.. and it only got harder and harder.
So anyway, that one is done, but I might want to install another 1 or 2. Is there any easier way without renting expensive equipment? I'm pretty sure the home builders have a way of doing it fast using something electrical.. maybe a pneumatic hammer of sorts. Is there anything else, or any other tricks that just a single hobbiest like myself can casually do to get that 8' rod in the ground without such a pathetic production that I gave to the neighbors?
Thanks!
I was reading some stuff on here, and a few other websites and got all fired-up about grounding/bonding everything. I went to the hardware store and bought an 8 foot copper ground rod. I think it's 1/2 in diameter, or there 'bouts.
So I got this LONG fairly heavy rod and I gotta get it into the ground.....
OK, maybe I'm just a sissy, or else I have extra hard ground... or maybe a little of both.. ..But it took me 45 mins. the first day to bang that thing down about 4ft using a tiny 3lb sledge... then I hit something I couldn't pass.
The next day, it took me about 2 hours GETTING IT BACK OUT OF THE GROUND using a shovel, a sharpshooter, a drill with a long bit to "loosen up" the dirt, and a lot of elbow grease and cussing. I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell now for what I said. (sorry grandma)
After another hour or so, I managed to get the damn thing beat down about 7.5 ft. into the ground using a 10lb sledge... I was sweating like a pig.. the horrors!
I thought it would be easy, but damn that was a workout!
I noticed that the first 3ft. was very easy.. I could have used a simple carpenter's hammer for that.. but below 3ft. I ran into a "trash" layer.. probably refuse from the construction of my house, including broken brick pieces, misc stones, etc.
Beyond that, the ground got VERY resistant to my efforts. I would say I was in clay. That stuff just wouldn't 'give' like the top fill dirt would.. about 6 inches into that, and the rod was very difficult to drive.. and it only got harder and harder.
So anyway, that one is done, but I might want to install another 1 or 2. Is there any easier way without renting expensive equipment? I'm pretty sure the home builders have a way of doing it fast using something electrical.. maybe a pneumatic hammer of sorts. Is there anything else, or any other tricks that just a single hobbiest like myself can casually do to get that 8' rod in the ground without such a pathetic production that I gave to the neighbors?
Thanks!
Last edited: